Hamlin not happy over non-caution at Darlington finish
Quote selected text Published May 13th, 2007 in NASCAR News
Nobody was more upset with today’s latest Hendrick Darlington victory than Denny Hamlin, who finished second or third for the fifth time in 11 races. First there was the bad pit stop that dropped him from second to 16th with 58 laps remaining.
Then there was NASCAR’s decision not to call caution with two laps to go for what Hamlin considered obvious debris.
“There was somebody’s entire fender or underbody on the racetrack,” said Hamlin, who led a career-high 179 laps. “If a car was two-wide or three-wide down the backstretch, they were going to run over it.
“I knew a caution was going to come out. I saw that and I literally pumped my fist. And of course, if the caution comes out, it’s game over. But no caution. Hendrick gets another break.”
Denny Hamlin saw another shot at victory elude him this season. He finished second Sunday at Darlington and has finished third four other times.
Hamlin paused, then added, “I don’t mean to open up a can of worms on that. Forget I said that.”
Too late. Can of worms opened.
Bookmark to:
- Hamlin will not receive any penalty for stopping in Richmond race
- NASCAR’s Pemberton defends Darlington officiating, even from Gordon
- Hamlin furious with his crew after Darlington
- Hamlin injured in off track incident, will race at Darlington
- 2007 Darlington highlights and finish video
No caution cause Hendricks was in the lead. You can bet if Denny had been up front there would have been a caution to get one of the Hendrick Motor sports guys up front.
herew we go again wit naSCAR and hendrick. this shits gettin old. stop fixin the _______ races. u wonder y ure ratings suck this year. the ______ olympics aint got nothin to do wit it neither does any other excuse nascar makes up.
LMAO! I have to agree with this one. I’m not going to start the whole conspiracy theory on this, but I do find it odd that it’s always HMS getting favored when it comes to the caution flag. I’m not including when Gordon’s car went all misty and such. That car should have left the track IMO. But, I’m digressing again:(
I don’t blame Denny for getting frustrated. There’s alot of other racers feeling the same way. Will they put him on probation too for speaking his mind? NASCAR officials are on the rag right about now.
Think back to the Daytona 500… Mark Martin in the lead… He’s got it all wrapped up… Harvick on the outside making the pass, wreck behind them. No caution. Harvick beats Mark. If NASCAR was going to use its power of puppetry to dictate any finish it would have been that one to give it to Mark.
Think back to Bristol 3 or 4 years ago. Jimmie Spencer and Kurt Busch fighting for first with a couple laps to go while cars smack the wall and spin… No caution.
Green flag finishes is what everyone wants, even NASCAR.
I know the finish under yellow at Dega was annoying but NASCAR always errors on the side of safety at restrictor plate tracks.
I believe NASCAR wanted to see this race finish under green. Denny almost caught Gordon. If NASCAR was thinking anything I bet they were hoping it was going to be Denny and Gordon battling at the line in 5 laps at the checkers.
NASCAR doesn’t want to see an imbalance of success between the teams. I know NASCAR calls cautions to bunch up the field at times and we all whine about that. Why whine about not throwing a caution? These drivers are skillful enough to avoid some debris on the track with 5 to go.
Denny’s team lost him the race. Plain and simple.
quit blaming NASCAR and Gordon and HMS there Denny and go talk with your TEAM!!!!! Gordon didnt cause them to give you a bad pit.
I agree with Denny Hamlin’s disapointment, it was what, 45 -50 laps that Jeff Gordon’s car was spewing coolant all over the track and all over other cars, why the hell wasn’t he Black Flagged?! If it was any other team, or owner, you know god damn well that they would have been black flagged for that, and how did that car never run out of coolant or blow up??? I think there’s something fishy going on with Nascar and Hendrick Motorsports, and also they’re going to fine Dale Jr because his mounting brackets for the wing were the wrong ones, give me a break. Black Flag Gordon’s car, give the win to Hamlin, then mabey, just mabey I’ll believe the mounting bracket story. It’s bad enough the past couple of years Nascar has gone to the superteams for the way to ‘run things’ or looking to pick up diversity by hiring drivers of other races, why can’t they do things the way it used to be done in the true Winston Cup tradition, if anyone remembers how that was anymore. Nextel Cup has taken such a great sport, and great American Tradition, and turned it into a ‘don’t hurt me - don’t touch me’ pansy sport, and it’s getting sickening, what happened to wrecking someone for the win, or cutting in in the middle of the commercial to see the ‘big wreck’ Nascar isn’t losing fans because of deveristy, or because it’s too dangerous, it’s losing fans because they keep changing the rules all the time, and there are just too damn many commericals and not enough racing, bumping, and wrecking. Racing needs to go back the way it was when Earnhardt Sr was racing, the whatever it takes racing, things like that were what built up the fan base!
Nicely put, Roxie! Denny’s problem should be his pit crew and no one else.
I am sick of drivers crying that they didnt when. the facts are this if your crew doesnt screw up and you drive better than the others on the track that day you win if you dont you dont win plain and simple. Stop crying and get your shit together and you may win NASCAR isnt going to try to make you lose. Its all about compation run good dont screw up at all and win. HMS has it down pat this year and they are winning. Thats That
Are you serious? I’m so sick of HMS fans bitching about other teams. HMS are a bunch of cheaters and NASCAR entertains them. I agree with Tooler 100%. Should Denny place the blame with his crew? Maybe, but it doesn’t change the fact that NASCAR is becoming a joke with their 13th hour rule changes. Denny didn’t win. Okay, so what? It’s not about the fact that fans complain about their team not winning, it’s about HOW HMS continues to win week after week. Nothing more to it than that.
another sunday another hendrick win some things will never change……. Maybe Hulkomania will drive the 24 car next week so he can go to victory lane and say “I’m gonna get you brother………..”
You guys will never be pleased. Sucks to be an HMS hater.
Are you kidding me? Getting mad because HMS wins everyweek. Maybe they are hitting on pure greatness. Don’t hate them because they have it all together. Get real. Nascar does not favor HMS more than any other team out there. HMS does not cheat, they are just DAMN GOOD.
Tooler, if Jeff’s steaming car was putting stuff on the track they would have called a caution. Other drivers were steaming too, should they have all been black flagged just so Jr could get up there and win. Were you even watching the same race I was? Nascar has been at an all time high in the past 5 years of viewers and that was after Sr. died so his type of racing was not what built Nascar. It is the young guns coming into the sport that has built Nascar, not beating and banging driving.Young guns like HMS drivers.
Everyone just loves the hate a winner, just like so many people did Sr. when he was winning.
Young Guns? Jeff Gordon is already 35, Jimmie Johnson is 31 and Mears is pushing 30. Their Young Guns consist of Kyle Busch and thats all.
I wonder why there were no cautions. Maybe it was becaue the Rainbow Warrior was in the lead. What a Fag.
Stewart fan and tooler..i agree with you both COMPLETELY.
Gordon’s damn car had coolant going EVERYWHERE..on other cars, on the track.. and no black flag? Oh, but when there’s a small piece of sheet metal that got bent a little on one of the cars, they make a big deal to black flag it.. im SURE, that if Denny was leading, they would have called the caution. How many guys blew up and crashed behind the leaders? 4 or 5. FOX even SHOWED an aerial view of the track and you could see the smoke billowing out of the back of a couple cars and the drivers were being cautious driving through it as not to hit another driver..BUT WHEN THERE’S A PLASTIC BAG ON THE TRACK THAT WILL FLY AWAY, THEY CALL A CAUTION. Those of you who are saying that HMS is not cheating and there is nothing going on..open your damn eyes and take a good look around. It’s all rigged. It’s not all about your driver. If you’r a Gordon fan, fine, support him, but don’t bring your ‘#1 fan’ crap into a debate about what’s really going on. Behind the #24 shirt and rainbow baseball hat, you know that things with NASCAR and HMS are getting fishy.
ok i have to comment on this. how can people not be mad about the race
and not see that gordons car spewing on the track wasnt trouble. and
it wasnt coolant it was water steaming from the overflow. it could have
been dangerous yea it wasnt in the end but should nascar place the safety
of all the other drivers on a hunch that it wont be a problem. i have to
go with tony stewart on this one. nascar calls bogus cautions on stupid
crap on the track that wont hurt anyone but not on stuff that could really
be dangerous. and where did jr come into this. he wasnt doing anything but
falling back in the race. hamlin gave it his best shot. he came from 7th
with 13 to go and almost ran down gordon. yea he is gonna complain becuz
he has that right. and HMS does have something going on with NASCAR. i
have seen it the past like 5 or 6 weeks. anytime gordon is leading they
will hold off a late race caution but when anyone else is they wont even
wait to throw a caution for a piece of debris that isnt even on the track.
there were what 2 or 3 cars in the final lap billowing smoke out of them
making it virtually impossible for most of the drivers to see. i dont care
what anyone says if HMS keeps winning NASCAR will lose a lot of vieweres.
i wont stop watching becuz im not that kind of person but i really thought
today someone would end they stranglehold HMS has on the season.
What is the point of watching the races anymore? You know who is gonna win. Either Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon or Kyle Busch. They even leave their own team mate Casey Mears out in the cold. NASCAR really needs to look at the way they are throwing the cautions. The Hendrick drivers seem to have one set of rules while everyone else has another.
ALL U HATERS STOP IMEAN STOP X1000000000 JEFF WON PLAIN AND SIMPLE. SO YEAH STOP UR CRYING GOSH UR OWN KIDS MUST FEEL ASHAMED ON THE COUNT THIER PARENTS ARE THE ONE CRYING AND CRYING. NASCAR DOES NOT DO FAVORS FOR HMS.
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I honestly think some of these “so-called” Hendrick fans are fueling you guys’ fires. They come on here and say the most arrogant shit imaginable. Don’t fall into their trap.
Coolant being spewed from a car happens constantly during races, albeit Gordon’s was a geyser it’s still just pretty much water. The cars only carry a few gallons of it. Not near enough to make a care lose traction and wreck. Yes, NASCAR does throw some bogus cautions!! So, why get mad when there is none? Gordon and Denny could have had a great battle to the finish but Denny just couldn’t make it there. Denny’s team screwed up and lost him the race. No one else. Not NASCAR, not Hendrick.
I’ll bet millions that NASCAR did not “fix” the end of this race. And I guarantee Pop Tart wasn’t down there negotiating with an official about staying green. NASCAR may be inconsistent in some of their calls but they show everyone that same level of inconsistency through out time. Gordon is over 200 points out front, NASCAR doesn’t like to see that or we wouldn’t have gone to the Chase format in the first place. These situations that you’re seeing as conspiracies on NASCAR’s behalf are not ratings producers… NASCAR wants ratings more than they want Hendrick to win.
i don’t think the fact thaty nascar is “favoring” anyone they just need to get consestant
with these yellow flags , there is no consistancy wit them at all and i think that is what
pisses most people of but i have to say it does seem Hendrick drivers get a caution when they
need one but i don’t think they are favoring them JUST get consistant NASCAR you are
bringing this “favoring” thing on yourselfs
Ben you are so right. I wouldn’t care so much if they were consistent. But this stuff of throwing a caution whenever they feel like it is not fair to anyone. They may not be favoring HMS but looking at the races so far this year, one can’t help but wonder what their thinking is. Even my 80-year-old grandmother who doesn’t care a thing in the world about NASCAR wanted to know why they would get a caution for nothing and then no caution for a large piece on the track. It just doesn’t seem fair.
I agree with AXEL same old bullshit again.
Obviously, “Butterfingers Air Wrench Guy” who dropped the lug nut two times works for NASCAR. With such a strong 11 car, he was directed to commit a racing “fumbleruski” so a Hendrick car could win. Kudos to NASCAR for such clandestine brilliance.
Ok I agree with those of you who say that NASCAR should have thrown the yellow. I am not a fan of Gordon or Hamlin but there needs to be consistancy on NASCAR officials parts. I am not sure why other teams are not winning any of the COT races but for me it raises a red flag. I am NOT saying anyone is cheating but I think it should be checked a little closer and also become more fair. I also wonderif they didnt throw the yellow to see how fans would react this time with Gordon winning to see if throwing people out of tracks was successful.
you know how to stop it, stop going to races, when the seats are empty, then nascar will stop playing favorites!!!
I agree with you Ben. Consistency would be nice. I know that safety on the track is an issue for the drivers and everyone else but at least make the cautions “real cautions” I mean a plastic bag on the track is not going to injure anyone. If there is metal or oil or something else that is dangerous I am all for the caution. but it does seem that they throw the cautions quicker at certain times than others. All the guys out there driving earn the right to be there and they all need respect. With a few more races under his belt Denny is gonna be hard to beat in my opinion. He is a good driver.
Isn’t it a little weird that alsmost every single COT race ahas been dominated by Joe Gibbs racing only to have a caution screw them up and a HMS car win? i mean come on HMS is not dominationg the COT races, nascar and HMS obviously have something going on between themselves that tey are trying to keep secret. Both Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart should have had at least one win a peice but nascar’s “debris cautions” or lack there of have costed them both at least one win. Its kinda sad when you can turn on the race and tell someone who is gonna win before they even throw the green flag. and be right everytime because of this love between nascar and HMS. If they are gonna love each other like this take it outside of nascar and keep the racing just what its supposed to be…….good, hard, clean, and no cheating (like HMS and dont say they dont cheat cause HMS is notorious for cheating)
I gotta agree with you to James… I’ve seen it.
I knew it! I knew it! When I saw that the yellow wasn’t coming out that this kind of screaming and yelling would happen. I am a great fan of the 24 and the 48 but I am starting to wonder why they keep falling into a bed of roses.
James,
How is Denny Hamlin’s crew screwing up his pit stop and ruining his chance at winning Nascars fault. Should they say ‘Oh poor Denny’s crew messed his out of win he should have, lets throw a caution so he could get back up front’. No, they should not. If Tony and Denny should have won, they would have. Don’t blame Nascar and HMS for their screw ups. Jeff has had debris or lack there of cautions hurt him plenty in the past and even loose races because of them.
You would have had to watch Nascar more than 1 or 2 years to know that though.